country Essentials · 12 foods
Georgia Essentials
A considered first route through Georgia: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Georgia foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
12 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Georgia
Khinkali
Хинкали
Bite a hole, drink the broth, eat the rest and leave the knot — counting knots is how the table keeps score.
Adjara, Georgia
Adjarian Khachapuri
Აჭარული ხაჭაპური
An open boat of bread finished with a raw yolk and butter you stir into the molten cheese yourself.
Georgia
Turkey in Walnut Sauce
Საცივი
Turkey served cold under thick walnut sauce with marigold and coriander seed, made a day ahead for New Year.
Georgia
Vegetable and Walnut Pâtés
Ფხალი
Spinach, beetroot and cabbage each pounded with walnut and garlic, served as a coloured trio under pomegranate.
Georgia
Aubergine Rolls with Walnut
Ბადრიჯანი ნიგვზით
Fried aubergine rolled round walnut and garlic paste, eaten cold at the start of every supra.
Georgia
Georgian Skewered Pork
Მწვადი
Pork grilled over grapevine cuttings with no marinade at all, thrown into raw onion straight off the skewer.
Georgia
Georgian Bean Stew
Ლობიო
Spiced kidney beans in a clay pot with corn bread and brined pickles beside — the three arrive together.
Georgia
Lamb in Tarragon and Green Plums
Ჩაქაფული
Lamb stewed in white wine with green plums and enough tarragon to turn the whole pot green, at its best in spring.
Turkey
Churchkhela
Ჩურჩხელა
Walnuts on a string dipped in thickened grape must until they set into candle-shaped bars at harvest.
Georgia
Sulguni
Სულგუნი
Brined pulled curd that squeaks when young and keeps for weeks once smoked golden.
Georgia
Qvevri Wine
Ქვევრის ღვინო
Fermented on skins in a clay egg buried to the neck, which turns white grapes amber and tannic.
Georgia
Chacha
Ჭაჭა
Pomace spirit poured for toasts rather than sipped, and the traditional partner to dawn tripe soup.